“Well, I’m glad you have a new friend, and Gerald has a new home. And I’m really glad you weren’t talking to yourself like I thought you were when I first got here,” Hellen said.
“Oh, I do that, too. Gerald doesn’t answer, so I answer for him.”
“Well, I guess as long as it’s nice, it’s all good,” Hellen said.
Harley smiled.
“I think I’m going to say hi to Analise.”
“Okay. Me and Gerald are gonna keep hunting for his lunch.”
“Alrighty then, happy hunting.” Hellen laughed as she watched Harley and Gerald sneak off around the corner in search of whatever it was Harley was planning on feeding him.
She knocked on the door, then eased it open. “’Lise?!”
“Right here,” Analise said from her seat at the kitchen table, just to the right of the front door.
“There you are!” Hellen said, stepping inside and closing the door behind herself.
Analise had already stood and was was making her way around the kitchen table to get to Hellen. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me, too. How are you?”
“I’m good! Better now that everything is calming down.”
“Sorry I wasn’t here.”
“Oh, please! We all have lives. It’s not like every one of us can simply wander around each other waiting for something to go wrong. And had Emmalyn bothered to let us know what was going on to begin with, it would have been a lot easier to keep her safe regardless. Stubborn woman.”
“To say the least,” Hellen said with a soft smile.
“So, how long are you staying before you have to go back out again?”
“I’m not sure yet, but not long. I cut my on hours short because I knew there had to be trouble with so many of you trying to reach me. I should have responded sooner. My situation just didn’t allow it.”
“It’s okay. Hey, you want some coffee? Or how about something to eat? You hungry?”
“I just ate at Barron and Emmalyn’s, but some more coffee would be great.”
“Coming up. Have a seat.” While Analise poured Hellen’s coffee, she thought about what Hellen had just said about her situation. “So, what exactly is your situation?” Analise asked.
“Injured animal. Trying to keep it alive. Somebody really did a number on it. Shot it through the back a few times, and even through its skull. One of the bullets took one of its eyes. It even had deep gashes through its body. A boat propeller, I believe. Whoever shot its last attempt to be sure it died.”
“Damn, Hellen. I’m surprised you found it alive.”
“Me, too. I thought it was dead, but it twitched when I tried to bury it. It obviously wasn’t ready to be buried yet, so I decided to see if I could help it survive.”
“I’m sure it’s grateful.”
Hellen laughed. “Not even slightly. Surliest damn thing I’ve ever come across, but I suppose I would be, too, if someone attacked me and left me for dead.”
“True. I don’t think I’d be very happy about it.”
“What are you doing here?” Hellen asked, eyeing the list of wedding guests sitting beside Analise’s laptop.
Analise approached the table with Hellen’s coffee in hand. She gave it to her, then sat down before her laptop again. “I’m sending emails, and phone calls just to back the emails up, letting everybody know that the wedding has been postponed.Trying to get the details Emmalyn had already confirmed pushed back a little.”
“Oh, yeah. Havoc mentioned this morning that you two are going to put it off a little longer.”
